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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23486269">So This Is What Makes Life Divine</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sillypandalover91/pseuds/sillypandalover91'>sillypandalover91</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>So This Is Love [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, M/M, Mutual Pining, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:46:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,840</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23486269</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sillypandalover91/pseuds/sillypandalover91</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Alastor and Angel discover the key to Heaven in each other. Neither are planning to actually make it past the pearly gates and are more than happy to keep it that way.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alastor/Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel), Charlie Magne/Vaggie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>So This Is Love [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1790473</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>244</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Twitterpated</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is my first Hazbin fic and it's been a good while that I've actually written anything. I plan to keep this short and sweet lol</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Self restraint was surprisingly one of Angel’s stronger suits despite what he lets people to believe. Growing up gay in an Roman Catholic mob family in a time where boys were sent for “medical treatment” for looking at other boys with a little too much interest would do that to a guy.</p><p>So when he felt Alastor’s fingers worm their way under his hand during family movie night, he didn’t react immediately.</p><p>It all started when Charlie discovered Disney via a patron who had recently died and was sent straight to the hotel, by her mother of all people, with a note that said <em>There was a mix up in processing, she doesn’t belong here. Take care of her until your Uncle Gabriel can come get her New Years.</em></p><p>Charlie had nearly detonated fireworks inside the hotel in her excitement because an honest to grandfather heaven bound had been blessedly dropped onto her lap. It would be an absolute shame if she didn’t take advantage and pick her brain to see how she earned her halo so that she could apply it to her other patrons; specifically Angel Dust who seemed to drift further and further away from Heaven’s light.</p><p>Vaggie had told her, not for the first time either, that Angel was a lost cause but never let it be said that the Princess of Hell was not tenacious. Nor was she one to give up on her friends.  He didn’t make it easy though...What with the turf wars and drugs and booze and constant sex and...yeah.</p><p>But here in her hands she had a way to redemption and step one was obviously-</p><p>“I remember this studio,” said Angel when the opening jingle revealed the Disney Castle. He munched on some popcorn and nodded, “I remember watching Snow White, Pinocchio, and Bambi. Heh, Pinocchio scared the shit outa me. Growin up, pops told me that boys who were bad became jackasses .”</p><p>“Explains you,” muttered Vaggie into her mug of coco, nearly spilling it when Angel retaliated by throwing popcorn at her, “Hey!”</p><p>They had worked their way from the first film Charlie could get her hands on, starting with a classic much to Alastor’s delight. Having grown up poor, all he had was a single fairy tale book that was literally falling apart. Then he had discovered radio and then developed his fascination with murdering and...Well, he was glad to have this opportunity to experience fairy tales again. Angel  in particular liked Al’s eagerness for family movie night. It was cute.</p><p>That is until tonight when they were watching Bambi and they were at the part where hunters had killed the fawn’s mom. Charlie gasped from across them, turning to Vaggie for some explanation as to why this was in a children’s film. Husk sighed heavily and took a long drink from his beer bottle which prompted Niffty to quickly get up to bring more drinks, but Angel didn’t miss how she was wiping at her eye.</p><p>He glanced over at Alastor, whose eyes had become dials and twisted his hand so that their fingers laced together, gently squeezing them and slowly raising his upper arm out to coax his friend to curl up next to him. It was a long shot that Al would allow this despite their friendship but to his surprise, Alastor fell into place and reached out his other hand to hold Angel’s lower left one.</p><p>Bambi had hit too close to home for Alastor and they needed a brief intermission shortly after Bambi’s dad took him in. </p><p>Water was splashed on faces and tears were wiped away. Snacks and drinks were replenished and they all made themselves comfortable again.</p><p>To Angel’s delight and horror, Alastor dragged a blanket over and made himself comfortable again tucked under Angel’s arm with a pleased smile. His tail softly  thumped against the couch when Angel rested his head on his.</p><p>Spring time in the movie lifted everyone’s moods from Charlie squealing at the cute little skunks, to Alastor’s ears perking up when Bambi fought for his doe. He felt Angel’s breath come out in a snort but didn’t question it until the movie was over and it was just them two picking up the living room.</p><p>Angel shrugged, “I don’t know, guess the lovey dovey stuff was a bit much.”</p><p>“I thought you like lovey dovey stuff.” Alastor tossed the folded blankets back into their basket.</p><p>“I do. It’s just that I don’t believe that it happens the way it happens in movies. It’s unrealistic if you ask me.”</p><p>“Yes, exactly! I feel the same way. Then again I suppose with moving pictures, time is of the essence what with their limited time frame to tell their story.” Alastor helped Angel take the dirty cups and bowls back to the kitchen, putting the dishes into the sink and rolling up his sleeves while Angel put away the left over snacks.</p><p>“I take it that you ain’t a fan of the whole love at first sight trope either then, huh?”</p><p>Alastor grin widened, “Not at all, my dear. Though to be fair, I can’t say that I’m a fan of love either. Besides my mother, I never put much thought into loving someone else, never mind romantically.”</p><p>Angel’s heart ached at the deer’s words but he nodded anyway, “Yeah. Love is too messy anyway.” It had a nasty habit of making you see things that weren’t there. Of course Al didn’t feel the same way. Him cuddling and holding Angel’s hand didn’t mean anything. He was just cold and Bambi’s mom dying would’ve made anyone seek comfort in a friend.</p><p>“And requires far too much work,” agreed Alastor, his own heart breaking at Angel’s dismissive words. But the work wasn’t as off putting to him as he thought. Charlie and Vaggie had their moments but months of being a shadow on the wall during their quarrels served to teach him that one disagreement didn’t have to mean the end of a relationship. If anything, working through it could make it stronger.</p><p>He felt Angel move next to him to dry the clean dishes. Alastor glanced at him from the corner of his eye, “Have you ever experienced...that is to say, have you ever been in love?”</p><p>Angel didn’t slow his methodological movements as he nodded.</p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>It had been almost silent but Angel heard it. He put the dishes away and waited for Al to finish washing the last few mugs, leaning an elbow on the counter and resting his cheek on his fist, “Have you?”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Hm.”</p><p>“Indeed.” Alastor wondered why he even bothered indulging in his confusing thoughts. The owl had described what Angel made him feel down to walking on damn air. Only thing it had gotten wrong was it hadn’t been as quickly as it had been with Bambi or Thumper, or Flower. It had been after Angel had decreased his advances and increased his willingness to simply chat with him well into the evening. How he didn’t blink twice when he’d made his famous gumbo with meat from his hunt or judged him he had walked on him snacking on fingers like they had been buffalo wings one night. As a matter of a fact, Angel had taken his cannibalism without fuss at all though Alastor chalked that up to Angel being a predator demon himself.</p><p>Then it had been the way Angel carried himself, even when he was ‘on the clock’. What Alastor had once seen as vulgar promiscuity, he now saw as hunting tactics. And if Angel had fun during his means to an end well more power to him. It was when he was off the clock, though, that Alastor found him the most endearing. When he was playing with Fat Nuggets. When he was having girl time with Niffy and Charlie, playing poker with Husk, and watching documentaries with Vaggie.</p><p>It was the way Angel smiled when he did all of this, content and relaxed, that made Alastor’s head spin and heart flutter. The way he cried if the documentary was about nature and a cute animal died. It was the way Angel was weak by demon standards but strong by human. By <em>his</em> standards.</p><p>“Al?”</p><p>Alastor jumped when Angel gently shook him by the shoulder with a worried frown. He felt himself smile, “Yes, darling?”</p><p>“I said that the mugs are clean enough. Give’em here so we can go to bed.” Angel took the squeaky clean mugs from Alastor and quickly dried them, putting them in their cupboard and tossing the dish towel into a basket next to the sink.</p><p>The two demons stared at each other, waiting for something neither knew the other wanted.</p><p>Sighing, Angel shook his head and offered a small smile, “Alright, I’m gonna go hit the hay. See ya tomorrow, Smiles.”</p><p>“Sweet dreams, dear.” As Al watched Angel retreat, a moment of foolish bravery overcame him and he called out to him, “Angel!”</p><p>Angel paused at the door and glanced over his shoulder, “Yeah?” He watched as Alastor summoned his microphone to fiddle with, something he’d noticed the deer did when he was nervous. Strangely enough, Alastor only did that when they were alone.</p><p>Having found the words he wanted, or gathered his courage, Alastor asked in an unfiltered voice, “Do ya think...Do y’think you could fall’n love again?”</p><p>Self restraint was surprisingly one of Angel’s stronger suits, despite what he led people to believe. And now, he was happy it was because without it, he would’ve overstepped Alastor’s personal space and ruin whatever it was that was happening right now. Instead he lowered his lids and smiled warmly, “Yeah, I could. What about you? Think you could give being twitterpated a shot?”</p><p>“I won’t act a fool like those little animals from the picture show, will I?”</p><p>“Would you care?” Angel asked as he reached out a hand.</p><p>Alastor thought about it for a second but answered Angel’s smile with a warmer one of his own and laced his fingers with Angel’s, allowing the spider to lead him upstairs to bed, “Not at all.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. He's A Tramp, But I Love Him~</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Alastor laments his boy troubles to his two closest friends, Mimzy and Rosie AKA The Dear Club.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Well, apparently this is not going to be short as I have come across a burst of inspiration. I apologize for that!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“And he didn’t even try to kiss ya?” Mimzy stared slack jawed at a very dejected Alastor as he nursed a bourbon. She shook her head, “But he’s Angel Dust! I’m surprised he didn’t pin you to the wall and necked your skin raw.”</p><p>The tips of Alastor’s ears glowed red as he scoffed into his drink, “You and me both, dear Mimzy. You and me both.” He swirled the amber liquid in thought before finishing it off and snapping his fingers to refill it with a sigh, “Maybe I read the entire situation wrong. He did say that he found love to be messy and all that.”</p><p>“But he also said he could fall in love again!”</p><p>“Maybe just not with me.” As the words left his mouth, Alastor’s traitorous mind brought up tonight’s movie Snow White. He had been holding Angel’s hand but when the princess began to sing about her prince charming, Angel’s eyes lost focus and his upper hands wrapped themselves around his body. Whoever he was associating the song to, it certainly was not Alastor.</p><p>It hadn’t stopped him from holding his hand the rest of the movie and, when it was over, from walking Angel to his room. No words were exchanged however, and that was what had bothered Alastor the most. The whole ordeal only filled him with dread, especially after the seeming break through he thought they had had the previous night.</p><p>Alastor took a long drink and leaned back in his seat with as close of a pout as he dared allow himself to show in public. Just who was plaguing his darling’s mind that made him clam up? Who had enchanted him to the point of trusting them with his most precious treasure-his heart?</p><p>“He said it was messy,” repeated Alastor. He looked to his two companions, “What do you suppose happened to him to make him feel like that?”</p><p>“Perhaps,” said Rosie before taking a sip from her tea, “that is a question you should be asking him. As for him not wanting to fall in love with you, well, that’s rather foolish of him. Who wouldn’t want an overlord for a beau?”</p><p>Alastor couldn’t help grin widely at her, “Dear, have you forgotten that he didn’t know who I was?”</p><p>“I have not.” Her own smile sharpened and her eyes narrowed with disapproval, “Nor have I forgotten what you’ve done to that poor boy.”</p><p>Mimzy gasped, “That’s right! You used to beat him with that microphone of yours.”</p><p>“And threaten him.”</p><p>“Aww, yeah, that too.”</p><p>“Not to mention,” continued Rosie, disappointment palpable in her voice, “the degrading comments. Perhaps, Mr. Dust would prefer someone who doesn’t treat him as Valentino does.”</p><p><em>Well fuck</em>. Alastor stared at his drink, not sure whether to drown in it or pour it over his rapidly beating heart and set it on fire. He had been a terrible person to Angel those first few months but it’d never crossed his mind that his behavior could be interpreted akin to the roach that was the Lord of Lust. The very thought made him sick.</p><p>His grip tightened around his glass to the point of creating a thin crack, “What do you think I should do? We’re friends now. Better than that, beside you wonderful ladies, I think he is the closest thing I have to a best friend. A partner in crime if you will.” The fact that they had made it past that and were close at all was the first real miracle the hotel had spawned.</p><p>“Well, sugar,” chirped Mimzy, taking the glass from him and giving him a new one with water, “if ya ask me, all of that is water under the bridge. You’re all he talks about these days. Woulda made me green if he hadn’t helped me get over my crush on ya.” She shivered in her memory of just how he did that, “Mm, if he weren’t gay or if he didn’t charge a fortune to bed dames, ooh~”</p><p>Alastor’s ears perked up, “Pardon?”</p><p>“Mhm, oh yeah. Had the biggest crush on you as big as the moon. Angel used ta work here at the club for a good few years before Valentino poached him from me. Course I never explicitly told him it was you. All he knew was that I was head over heels in love but that the fella didn't feel the same.”</p><p>“You slept with him.” Not a question. Alastor couldn’t believe it, his own best friend just sat there and listened to his stupid lament about a guy she apparently was more than well acquainted with.</p><p>Mimzy rolled her eyes, “Oh, please. This was way before you even knew who he was let alone carry the torch for the sheik.”</p><p>“And you didn’t think to tell me? Why didn’t <em>he</em> tell me? Do you still talk to him? Does he know now that you and I are friends?”</p><p>Rosie rapped her knuckles on the table space between the two demons, “Right, well, let’s not quarrel among ourselves, dearies. What Mimzy is trying to say, Alastor, is that Mr. Dust does not appear to hold grudges against you. Isn’t that right, petal?”</p><p>“Right, Rose.” Mimzy glared at Alastor, “But that don’t mean he didn’t get sad bout those times when you <em>were</em> mean to him.</p><p>Alastor glared back, “You just said that was water under the bridge!”</p><p>“And it is, but when you hurt someone’s feelings, even if they get over it and are in a better place, they can sometimes sneak back on a fella. And I remember that you did one hell of a number on him. Course, I never did tell him about us—”</p><p>“There was never <em>us</em>,” hissed Alastor, still peeved about being in the dark of Angel and Mimzy’s relationship.</p><p>“I am very aware of that! Point is, ya jerk, that Angel has moments when bad feelings creep on him and he just needs some time to himself. He really does like you.” <em>Not that you deserve it, </em>she almost added, but shook her head. Instead, she smirked and began pouring herself a drink, “Overlord Alastor, a jealous hopeful suitor. Who woulda thunk?”</p><p>Rosie laughed, “Indeed.”</p><p>“I am not jealous,” muttered Alastor, “But it would have been nice to have known that one of my dearest friends had…<em>relations</em> with the object of my desires.”</p><p>Sighing, Mimzy reached out to pat Alastor’s hand, “Look, it’s not like I was hiding it. I just never thought we’d be having this sorta conversation. Least of all that <em>you</em> would fall for Tony’s charm.” Her face flushed and she shivered again, “But then who doesn’t?”</p><p>Alastor’s eyes briefly flickered to dials at Mimzy’s relaxed use of Angel’s real name. Neigh! Her relaxed use of his real nickname. The audacity of this little demon! She was just rubbing it in at this point, he was sure of it. He sipped at his glass, completely forgetting that he no longer had hard liquor in it and releasing a burst of static in his frustration with everything.</p><p>“Now you know that I don’t judge how people get by,” she continued, ignoring her friend’s temper tantrum, “and I sure as hell don’t judge him but that boy breaks hearts left and right. And as protective of him as I am, the same goes for you, Al, darling. I don’t wantcha getting hurt either. In my experience, most fellas ain’t exactly thrilled at the idea of a working girl, or boy in his case. If you two do get together, he may still want to keep doing what he does. Would you be ok with that?”</p><p>“Well, of course, I would,” snapped Alastor without any real heat, “He is what he is, a scoundrel, a rounder even when Husk is involved, and maybe at some point a tramp, but by thunder, I love that man and I will be damned if I let him think that I will treat him like his previous lover did or that cretin Valentino does!”</p><p>He quickly stood up and gently kissed both ladies on their hands, “Thank you for this enlightening outing. I have much that I wish to discuss with my arachnid beau to be. I bid you two farewell and a goodnight.”</p><p>Rosie waited until Alastor disappeared into the shadows before turning to Mimzy with knowing eyes, “You, my darling petal, are as cunning as you are beautiful.”</p><p>Giggling, Mimzy took Alastor’s seat, “What can I say, doll, Alastor may be a powerful overlord but he is still a man. A buck to boot. Just had to play up the fact I’d snag up little Tony myself and poof! We got him ta get his little tail moving~”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sheik - A man with sex appeal *<br/>*according to 20s slang book</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Once There Was a Prince And He Fell In Love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Angel and Alastor talk about Angel's ex. Then, Al asks Angel out on a date. But first, he must kill said ex.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for the late update. This one is a little longer than the previous chapters to make up for it. I was inspired by several Snow White songs so the next one may have two more before I move on to a new movie for a different song. I hope this chapter was worth the wait. The next one is pretty exciting!</p><p>tw: implied sexual assault, violence, mention of blood and drug overdose</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Once there was a prince, and he fell in love. It was very easy for anyone could see that the other prince was charming. Strong, handsome, tall and so romantic, how could Anthony resist?</p><p>Angel closed his eyes as he listened to Snow White dreamily gush over her Prince Charming. Around him, he heard Charlie and Niffty fawn over the naïve princess who had fallen in love with a man in mere minutes of knowing him. That doesn’t happen in real life, or in death.</p><p>He glanced at the red and black hand that had wormed its way into his during the song and loosely held it as he thought about another hand that had held his when he saw this movie at the movie theater. A hand that was too pale to be Sicilian like his and too dark to be Milanese. A soft, loving hand that had guided him through all his firsts.</p><p>Inhaling sharply, Angel ignored Alastor’s concerned glances and tried to focus on the movie. He really <em>did</em> like it. Snow White was his mother’s favorite movie and so it was his as well. But it had also been the movie his first love…</p><p>No matter how hard he tried, Angel couldn’t bring himself to relax. When the movie was over, he walked out of the parlor, for once glad that he and Al didn’t have to stick around to help clean up.</p><p>“Angel, cher, what’s wrong,” asked Alastor as he struggled to keep up with Angel’s long legs.</p><p>At the sound of Alastor’s voice, Angel blinked and glanced over his shoulder with a weak smile, “Nothing, Smiles, I’m just tired is all. Thanks for walking me to my room. I’ll see ya in the morning, night.”</p><p>“I—”</p><p>Angel didn’t hear him, he walked into his room and shut the door behind him with a firm click before letting his tears rush to his eyes. He hadn’t been aware that he had crumbled to the ground until he felt Fat Nuggets snuffle at his neck. The piglet didn’t fuss when Angel pulled him to his chest, “What’s wrong with me, Nuggy? It’s been over seventy years, why does it still hurt so much?”</p><p>Unable to do much else, Fat Nuggets grunted and nudged Angel’s face, sniffing at the tears rolling down his daddy’s cheeks.</p><hr/><p>After his enlightening late night get together with Rosie and Mimzy, Alastor was a man on a mission. Angel would learn of his feelings and then, if Mimzy was to be trusted, he would finally allow Alastor to court him properly. No more of this subtle nonsense.</p><p>As he walked down the hallway to Angel’s room, Alastor mentally rehearsed what he wanted to say once more, much to his shadow’s annoyance. It sought refuge through the crack under Angel’s door, laughing at his useless master as Alastor cursed at him for going in without Angel’s permission. His arm was immediately tugged by Angel’s own shadow which sobered him up quickly, and Shadow Al zeroed in on Angel’s shaking form on the ground. It hovered close to the spider’s shivering sleeping form before zooming to unlocked the door for Alastor.</p><p>Alastor felt a shock wave of sadness overwhelm him as soon as he entered the room. He eyes immediately fell on Angel’s prone body and he picked him up from the ground, gently placing him on his bed, “Cher, what in the seven circles happened to you?”</p><p>“Babbo,” whined Angel in his sleep, “per favore, non colpirmi.” In English, he begged, “I swear I didn’t know! He played me!”</p><p>“Enough of this torment, darling, you must wake up now,” said Alastor as he shook Angel.</p><p>But Angel didn’t respond. His consciousness was buried like a tick and Alastor had no idea how to wake him up. His only option would be to enter the nightmare and pull him out, but that would be invasive and the last thing he wanted Angel to think was that he didn’t respect his privacy.</p><p>“You said you loved me,” whispered Angel, tears flowing down his cheeks.</p><p>Alastor’s ears drew back as he thought back to every single encounter he ever had with Angel. Surely, he would remember something as monumental as proclaiming his love, and, surely, Angel and he would already be beaus if that had been the case.</p><p>“If you love me, why did you hurt me? What did I ever do to make ya hate me like this?”</p><p>Oh. Oh no.</p><p>Alastor’s ears were flat on his skull as he shook Angel more firmly, “Angel. Mon Ange, wake up.”  He had to wake him up. He couldn’t let Angel think he disliked him or worse, hate him.</p><p>Angel whimpered, “I loved you.”</p><p>“Angel!”</p><p>Then, having used his piglet stairs to reach the bed, Fat Nugget’s took a running leap and landed on Angel’s belly, forcing the spider to wake up with sputtering coughs. His head pulsated as he dropped himself back down onto his pillow. He glanced to his side where Alastor was staring down at him with a too tight smile pulling on his face as if he were forcing it to stay.</p><p>Groaning, Angel rubbed his cheeks to dry the tears, “What’s up?”</p><p>“What’s up?” Alastor furrowed his brow, “What’s up?! Angel, you were having a nightmare and you’re just going to ask me what’s up?”</p><p>Angel groaned again, “What do you want from me, Al?”</p><p>“I want you to tell me what you were dreaming about that had you groaning and crying and shivering.”</p><p>After a pause, Angel rolled over and cuddled Fat Nuggets close, “I was havin’ a sex dream, so kindly get out so I can get back to it.”</p><p>Alastor’s ears and tail stood up as he furrowed his brow, “Now see here. I respect you, Angel. Please give me the same courtesy. You don’t have to talk about it with me if you truly don’t want to—”</p><p>“Good, cause I don’t.”</p><p>“—but please do not insult me by lying to me. I thought we were past petty behavior like that.”</p><p>“We are.”</p><p><em>Then</em>?</p><p>The question went unspoken, but Angel heard it all the same. Tears welled in his eyes again when he heard Alastor sigh in defeat and stand up from the bed. He reached behind him and caught him by his pinky, “Please, don’t go.”</p><p>“How can I help,” asked Alastor quietly as he allowed himself to get pulled back into bed.</p><p>Angel rolled over to face him but kept Fat Nuggets between them. He could hear the thinly veiled desperation coloring Alastor’s voice. He hated that it was there because of him. Angel met Alastor’s eyes and whispered, “I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Oh, dear heart, you have nothing to apologize for.” Settling properly on the bed, Alastor rubbed circles the top of Angel’s hand, “I just want to know what I can do to make you stop hurting.”</p><p>The onslaught of memories of Alastor hitting that very hand whenever he so much as touched his shoulder and the rude comments flurried through Angel’s mind and he couldn’t help but snort. Oh, how far they had come. He saw hurt flash through Alastor’s expression, and he quickly flipped his hand so that their fingers laced together, “Sorry, Al, I’m just remembering how we were last year. It’s funny that I have you in bed with me when just last year you would’ve given me some choice words for even suggesting it.”</p><p>Wincing, Alastor opened his mouth to apologize but Angel shook his head, “Forget about that, Al. Past is past and all that. I’m happy that we’ve made it this far. And as for me hurting, well, I don’t know if that part of my life will ever stop hurting.”</p><p>“Who hurt you, cher? Tell me and they won’t have to worry about their miserable existence anymore.” Alastor watched Angel, “You were speaking in your sleep. The first bit I heard was in Italian but the rest, well…”</p><p>“How do you know they’re in Hell?”</p><p>“I can’t imagine a place more fitting for anyone who makes you cry.”</p><p>And <em>oh, </em>if those weren’t some of loveliest words Angel has ever heard. And they were said with such conviction that Angel wanted badly to lean over and kiss him, but he refrained. Alastor wouldn’t like that though, and he wasn’t about to ruin what had taken so long to build between them. Instead he offered a branch. He sat up and leaned over him to dig through his nightstand drawer.</p><p>Alastor’s eyes widened as he stared up at Angel’s fluffy chest.</p><p>“Sorry, I just need my hoop.” Angel sat back down and pulled off a glove before sticking his thumb and index finger into his mouth. When he pulled his fingers out, silver like thread came out too. It was gross but he needed yarn and if he was able to get some without getting out of bed, then why not, right?</p><p>Pink fingers moved quickly, and the hoop’s circumference was covered in the silver thread. Angel worked more thread into the center of the circle, creating an elaborate spiderweb dream catcher. He bit off the excess thread and handed the catcher to Alastor, “There. I don’t want to tell ya the story but, uh, I don’t mind you seein’ it.”</p><p>Alastor looked from the dream catcher to Angel, “This will help?”</p><p>“It should, yeah.”</p><p>“And you’re just going to fall asleep, are you?”</p><p>Shrugging, Angel settled back against his pillow and closed his eyes, “Sleep comes easy when I’m down in the dumps.”</p><p>As if to prove his point, Angel began to softly snore as his breath evened out.</p><p>Alastor glanced down at the dream catcher again. He was hesitant to put it over Angel, not wanting Angel to experience the harrowing nightmare again.</p><p>But he was too curious not to, so he handed it to his shadow to hang it over them and laid down as well. When he blinked, Alastor found himself in a misty forest not unlike the one Snow White had gotten lost in. The mist swirled around him like a happy cloud and he couldn’t help but laugh, “Of course, it’s pink. Don’t suppose you know where my effeminate friend ran off to, do you?”</p><p>The mist manifested itself into Fat Nuggets and led Alastor down a trail past an old fashioned pastel blue record player that was playing a dirty dark blue record with little sparrows on it holding a banner that read, <em>Someday My Prince Will Come</em>.</p><p>
  <em>“Once there was a princess, and she fell in love.”</em>
</p><p>Alastor’s nearly tripped over the misty piglet when it stopped in front of a free-standing blue door. Opening it, his breath hitched when he saw Angel in his human form. Bronzed skin, light brown hair that flopped tastefully over heterochromia eyes; he looked breathtaking in his silver-grey slacks and white linen dress shirt. He was with a woman that looked like him—<em>Molly</em>, Alastor assumed—and they were in the corner of what appeared to be a wedding.</p><p>“<em>Was it hard to do?”</em></p><p>Alastor stepped through the door and Angel’s eyes immediately found his. They widened as a pretty pink roses blossomed across his freckled cheeks. Almost demurely, he looked away and continued his conversation with his sister, occasionally flickering his gaze back to Alastor who was walking towards him as if their souls were drawing each other in.</p><p>“<em>It was very easy. Anyone could see that the prince was charming. The only one for me.”</em></p><p>But he was too slow. Another man walked through Alastor and Angel’s face lit up as he shifted beside his sister. The man positioned himself and leaned in, seemingly to kiss Molly, but Alastor saw and he knew. This was Angel’s first love.</p><p>Alastor tried not to let his jealousy flare but the heart was an irrational fickle thing. As he watched Angel’s bright enamored eyes gaze up at his lover, he consoled himself with the knowledge that Angel was currently sleeping in <em>his</em> arms.</p><p>“<em>Was strong and handsome? Was he big and tall?”</em></p><p>Alastor followed the couple as they disappeared into an empty hallway, where Angel was led in a dance. As they spun and giggled together, Alastor finally saw the man’s face.</p><p>Fuck.</p><p>
  <em>“There’s no body like him anywhere at all.”</em>
</p><p>He <em>was</em> handsome. Hair so black that it almost looked blue under the light. His eyes were grey, and he had cheekbones that could cut. There was something about the man that felt too familiar to Alastor. Maybe it was his smile and the way he looked at Angel like he was more of a prize to keep on a mantel and less of a treasure to hold close to your heart.</p><p>
  <em>“Did he say he loved ya? Did he steal a kiss?”</em>
</p><p>The man reached into his inner suit pocket and pulled out a leather pouch for Angel who excitedly pulled on the cords to see inside. His lover gently took it out of his hands and pulled out a hair clip made from baby blue precious stones. He pinned angel’s hair out of the way, murmuring something Alastor couldn’t hear but resulted in Angel flushing again.</p><p>
  <em>“He was so romantic; how could I resist?”</em>
</p><p>When the nameless man lifted Angel and carried him away to a room, Alastor didn’t follow. He didn’t want to know what happened in there. He walked back out all the way out to where Fat Nuggets was and sat down on a log.</p><p>“Why would dat give ya nightmares, cher,” he asked out loud as he let his head fall into his hands, “What was messy bout dat?”</p><p>Angel sat down next to him in his demon form, “My dad hated it so much but didn’t say nothin’ cause he was also a mob prince. The guy’s family owned the newspapers see, and whoever owned the papers owned history and blah blah blah. They had stock in the picture business too, so they were filthy rich. Heh, if only I knew what I know now.”</p><p>A deep blue door opened next and Angel nodded towards it. Alastor stood up and walked towards it, stopping only to see if Angel was following but the spider was still seated and was patting Fat Nugget’s belly. Alastor braced himself and opened the door.</p><p>On the other side was a massacre. Men with obsidian and amethyst spider cufflinks laid in pools of their own blood.</p><p>“I swear, I-I didn’t know! He played me, pops!” Angel trembled where he stood with wide eyes red with unshed tears, “Babbo—” He cried out and fell over a body, “per favore, non colpirmi!” His cries fell on deaf ears as an imposing man picked him back up to punch him again and again.</p><p>Enraged, Alastor tried to stop it but his hands were unable to do anything to protect Angel. It broke his heart that Angel only curled into himself and cried harder, “Please, don’t hit me! I didn’t mean to tell him—”</p><p>Alastor slipped on some blood and fell through another door where Angel had a gun on his lover, “Why did do it? You said…You said you loved me,” whispered Angel, tears flowing down his bruised and bloodied cheeks.</p><p>The man had his hands in front of him as he inched closer to Angel, “Tony, Tesoro, I—”</p><p>Angel shot at the ground right in front of his former lover and snarled, “Don’t fucking call me that, asshole! My family? You used me ta get to my family? We’re just gun and drug runners. The fuck do we have that you wanted so bad?”</p><p>“I didn’t court you to get to your family, Tony. You know I love you.”</p><p>“If you love me, they why did you hurt me? What did I do to make ya hate me like this?”</p><p>His lover lowered his hands scoff, “Come on, don’t say that. You know the saying. It wasn’t personal, just business. Your pop’s territories combined with my pop's and my associates. Baby, we’ll be kings. Ain’t no reason why we gotta stop seeing each other.”</p><p>Angel emptied his gun in his ex’s newest television model with a frustrated scream before throwing the gun at him, “You fucking, bastard! It’s just business? Killing my friends and brother was just business? I can’t fucking walk cause my dad got his consigliere t-to, he tore me up! It hurt so bad, i-it fucking hurts!”</p><p>Alastor’s felt his eyes become dials as the tendrils violently thrashed inside his mind as Angel broke down in tears again. That explained why his knees were shaking. It explained the fresh blood stains on his pants and the bite marks. Angel fell to the ground defeated and sobbing, unaware of his former lover walking up to him with a syringe filled to the capacity with liquidized Angel Dust. The prick of the needle to Angel’s neck made the world around them fade.</p><p>When he woke up, Alastor was digging his claws into one of Angel’s pillows. Angel himself sitting against some pillows on his headboard with Fat Nugget’s under one of his lower arms, “And that’s the story of my first love. Mind you, I skipped all the good mushy shit cause, the way I figure it, none of it was real so it don’t matter.”</p><p>Alastor was shivering with anger so he took some deep breaths in attempt to calm down.</p><p>It didn’t work.</p><p>He got up and paced, “He’s down here. Must’ve manifested in the seventh circle, probably climbed out tho’ so I’m gonna hafta put out some feelers.”</p><p>“Al, stop.”</p><p>“No, mon ange. This creature will pay for what he has done to you in life. What was his name?”</p><p>Angel sighed, “Vincenzo but knowing his name ain’t gonna do ya any good. Jackass doesn’t go by that name anymore and Lucifer knows that he doesn’t look like he did.”</p><p>Alastor swallowed his anger and kneeled back on the bed, taking one of Angel’s hands, “Go on an outing with me.”</p><p>“I-wait, what?”</p><p>“It would be a great honor if you allowed me to court you, Angel Dust.”</p><p>Angel remained quiet as he processed what Alastor was saying. Just a moment ago he was plotting his ex’s death and now he was, what exactly?</p><p>“Are you asking me out on a date,” asked Angel with wide eyes, “or are is this like some pity shit yer pullin.”</p><p>“Angel, dear, when have you ever known me to show pity?” Alastor shook his head earnestly, “No, I assure you, I am very serious. If I can’t have the cretin who broke your heart on my broadcast, then please allow me to mend it.” He dropped his accent, “Let me show y’ dat love don’ gotta be messy. Not dat I know a lick of relationships or any of dat stuff, but I can learn. I wanna learn.”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>Pressing a firm kiss to the back of Angel’s hand, Alastor finally let himself smile, “Really really.” Then a horrible realization came to Alastor and he back peddled, “Of course, if you would rather our relationship remain of the platonic nature, then please forget that I said anything. We can carry on as usual and forget about what I said. About the outing, I mean. I’d still very much like a name.”</p><p>“Al, baby, if you think I’m not about to meet ya halfway, then <em>clearly</em> we need ta go on lots of dates so that you can realize that I always will.”</p><p>The light lit behind Alastor’s smile as his internal soundboard played audience cheering to a marching band. It was too endearing that Angel couldn’t help but laugh. His laughter was contagious and soon both he and Alastor were laughing on his bed.</p><p>Shadow Al and Shadow Angel watched their masters with hearts in their eyes.</p><p>Fat Nuggets grunted as he waddled back down to his bed. He noticed his daddy’s favorite fuzzy heart pen and decided to take it to him before hitting the hay. Nifty always stayed a little longer to pet him if she finished cleaning the room early so, he had taken to picking up here and there so that he could ensure max pet time.</p><p>“You know you can’t kill him,” Angel said after they had settled down in a comfortable silence. He ran his claw over Alastor’s gloved knuckles, “That guy you saw in my dream. You can’t kill him. Not for a while at least.”</p><p>“Pray tell, why not,” asked Alastor. He scowled, “Do you think he could best me?”</p><p>“Nothin’ like that, babe—Can I call you babe?”</p><p>“You can call me anything you want.” Alastor narrowed his eyes at Angel, “Except for Strawberry Pimp or Daddy.”</p><p>Angel laughed again, “Dang, and here I was about to call ya my Deer Daddy. Oh well.”</p><p>“You were saying, cher?”</p><p>“Right, um, so he <em>did</em> manifest in the seventh circle and he <em>did</em> climb out from there. Only, he didn’t do it alone and the person who helped him is his business partner now.”</p><p>Shrugging, Alastor leaned back on his pillow, “So he has a partner, nothing I can’t handle.”</p><p>“Two.”</p><p>“Pardon?”</p><p>“He has two business partners.”</p><p>Alastor dismissed Angel’s concern, “What are three common demons against an overlord?”</p><p>“Three overlords against one,” said Angel quietly. He watched Alastor as he processed what he said.</p><p>A raw silence fell over them, both sitting up on the bed now that the conversation was getting serious again. Alastor asked once more, “Darling, what was your first love’s name?”</p><p>Angel sighed and pulled a pad of paper from his chest fluff. With the pen Fat Nuggets gave him, he wrote out Vincenzo Orsini X in pink ink.</p><p>Alastor stared at the name in confusion, “I don’t know any over lord by that name.” As an afterthought, he muttered, “Who is the tenth of anything?”</p><p>“He had a big family and they all loved the name Vincenzo.” Angel dropped the first letters of each name and wrote out the overlord’s new moniker:</p><p>V.O.X.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I've tried to edit this to the best of my ability but I'm certain that something escaped my notice. I'm sorry for any errors</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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